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[Aoren]

6th of Spring, 515

Aoren felt at home amid the stalks of grass that swayed like waves upon a rolling sea. They were on their way home from Endrykas. By they, he meant Caelum, Lillis, and those that journeyed with them from the moving tent city to the walls of Riverfall. His time among the Drykas had been filled with several revelations. It left Aoren at a crossroads where what he had hoped for, what he wanted, and what he needed were beginning to conflict with each other. There was another decision to be made down the road though he couldn’t think on what it could be at that particular moment.

Syna was in the sky. It was just past midday the best he could tell. The air was warm enough that he was not uncomfortable without the added weight of a cloak over his shoulders. Besides, the bandages that were wrapped about his torso were more than enough to stave off what little chill still clung to the early spring day. The bandages themselves were changed daily along with the application of a salve meant to stave off infection. Beneath them rest Aoren’s windmarks. Fresh, not more than two days old, he wore them with pride…and sadness. Beside him walked the very strider who had chosen him. A golden palomino female with a single white stripe down her nose. She was a calm one. For that, Aoren was grateful. When he had finally managed to collect himself after being chosen he had spent some time with the strider as she grazed. Aoren gave her a side a gentle pat.

“Where are we headed from here, Katya? Hm?” He had settled on calling her Katya. It was the first name that came to his mind after spending time with her. When he’d called her by the name it had felt more as if he was giving voice to what she called herself than what he had chosen for her. It felt right and she seemed amenable to it. He still had much to learn about the care of a strider. He had much to learn about what it meant to be a full Drykas in general. Aoren knew that a day would come when he would have to spend a lengthy amount of time among his people. It was expected of him. There were many things expected of him in the wake of being chosen by a strider. Some of those things Aoren understood. Some of those things he would struggle with. All of it was a life much different than the one he had lead thus far.

He smiled softly to himself. It was well within the power of both he and Caelum to mend the tattoos etched into his skin but Aoren had declined. He wanted them to heal naturally on their own. If that meant he had to bear a little discomfort for a brief period of time, he felt it was worth it.

Aoren was drawn from his musings as there came a call to halt for a short while. They had been on the move for the greater part of the day. Indeed he’d dismounted only because they’d slowed down intent on finding a place to rest for a short time. That was time enough to water the horses, fill their stomachs and stretch. The Drykas moved to the head of their caravan coming to stand next to the horned Ethaefal who he had come to care for a great deal. As he passed he nodded to the others that accompanied them. They were mostly strangers but they hadn’t proved themselves unworthy of trust. Aoren spoke looking out over the grassland as far as he could.

“Do you think there’s a stream nearby? The horses could do with a good drink of water.” He couldn’t say with any measure of expertise where they might find a water source in the grasslands. Aoren possessed only enough skill to set up an encampment when it came to living in the wilds. While that was useful enough in getting situated there was more to living beyond the walls of civilization than just knowing how to settle in.

[Khida]

Whenever the Dawnwhispers traveled, Khida preferred to fly. She had no horse of her own, nor even the skill for riding; and if she did go mounted, she would have only the same view as everyone else: a view of grasses and a relatively high horizon. But flying -- to fly was almost to enter another world altogether. The rolling grasslands spread out beneath her in a vast carpet, shadows nearly banished by Syna's far-reaching light, hers to observe and inspect in all directions.

It was one thing to walk afoot within the bounds of Endrykas, or even when hunting its immediate surroundings; but out here, in the empty space between cities? No. Out here, where the wilds held undisputed sway, the Kelvic trusted her wings and talons far more than her human skin. She had lived thus alone and with the hunter; here and now, with their family and associates also in transit, she considered it even more important to wear the form that was her best strength. So she flew while the horses and their riders walked along below, riding the currents where she could, putting forth effort as she needed to, and from time to time descending to rest on whatever pack offered a suitable perch -- for there was plenty of work involved in flight.

The downside of winged travel this early in spring was that Khida couldn't seem to find a decent thermal anywhere.

The Kelvic was reflecting on this deplorable lack, and the temptation to drop down for another break, when she noticed a change in the motion of the travelers below -- less concerted forward progress, and more milling around and commingling, the group aggregating together into an amorphous collection. In other words, they were most likely fixing to take a break of their own. That meant she might stay aloft and keep watch, or descend and join them.

Actually...

It only took a moment for Khida to realize it wasn't really a difficult quandary. Lunch -- especially lunch she wasn't hunting herself, lunch that didn't require her to put forth more effort -- held a great deal of allure just now. And with no sign of Riverfall on the horizon as of yet, or even the great river which ran into it, she expected there would be a good deal more travel yet to come today. Which only clinched the decision.

The Kelvic falcon did not descend immediately, however, but turned back to circle above the collecting travelers, imprinting the landscape on her mind and making a last check for any strangeness or suspicious patterns. Nothing stood out in her view; assured they had breathing space, at the least, she shortened her wings and glided down to join the others amongst the grasses, shifting to human once her feet had settled upon the earth.

oocI am, obviously, presuming that Khida wouldn't notice anything alarming. Let me know if that should be changed.

Khida space Common | Pavi
other space Common | Pavi

[Caelum]

"There's ninety-nine, Daddy," Lillian informed her father from where she perched atop a stone out cropping, a webbed hand shielding her eyes from the sun. This was not the sea for which her paternal god Laviku had intended her. "Ninety-nine." She was sure of it. By the certainty communicated in the abbreviated line of the toddler's shoulder, Caelum debated on his reply. He stood in the grasses, the blood mare Tigen beside him, nibbling absently on a few of the tallest stalks of dandelions glorying in the early spring light beside them. Caelum, waterskin in hand, stood hipshot while eyeing his daughter with a highly dubious expression. If not for the incredible foreign details of his celestial form, then by attitude alone the ethaefal could have been a creature of these plains. Dust had settled against his riding leathers, loosely folded over split soled boots he had had latched up tight completely with a collection of daggers that morning. There was a bastard sword strapped to his hip too, which was not at all usual. The majority of people who had made his acquaintance would have been surprised by it. He did not commonly wear it in Riverfall nor had he walked through Endrykas with it. Yet out here in the wild, with the whole world yawning around them, he wore it with ease. Indeed, there were more daggers strapped to his forearms and a collection of arrows and a shortbow strapped to a notch in Tigen's yvas. One might imagine him the hunter, or had he simply been well hunted? This was a man who had encountered a great deal of violence in his short years returned to Mizahar, and who carried his defenses with him when venturing outside of the walls provided for him by the stolen society of others. Pale gold hair fluttered from shadows into his eyes as they glanced at Aoren. "Ninety-nine," he muttered to his lover, the edge in his voice one of exasperation. "For fuck's sake." Ninety-nine was Lillian's new favorite number. It was the fault of Eric Stoneshadow, an uncle to her in the pavilion from which she had been saved. It was his answer to every appropriate question posed him by the little girl. How many horses were there? Ninety-nine. What do the bees care about? Ninety-nine things. When is dinner? In ninety-nine bells. And on and on. It had been amusing to Eric, but perhaps it was now obvious that Caelum did not much care for Eric Stoneshadow and there were, in fact, very few of the Stoneshadows he cared for at all. Their history was dank and deep despite its brevity. "She doesn't even know how many ninety-nine is," Caelum carried on with his muttering to Aoren, long, clever fingers unraveling the knotted leather that held together the water skin seal. "But there are ninety-nine rabbits out there for me to catch. Less than a hundred. More than a few." The roll of his eyes was damned near audible. Lillian, atop her jutting rock, turned to beam at them. She had heard every word. Little hands reached out, arms flinging out in warning to Aoren before she pounced right from the rock and dead at him, sure to snap her neck lest the seer caught her. Of course she would be caught. She knew that. They all knew that. Hungry, she signed against his shoulder upon impact. Hungry, fly, help. In Lillian speak, that meant she wanted him to feed her and to be quick about it. Caelum, catching sight of his daughter's quick moving hands, tucked a smirk into the corner of his mouth and caught Aoren's eye. He, shared the humor of it while passing over the water skin. Catching sight of the falcon coming in for a landing and immediately transforming into her human flesh, he raised a hand to her, beckoning her near. "Khida will know if there's a nearby stream."

[Naiya]

The journey to Riverfall was a long one, and the excitement that she woke with each morning of their trip had long since faded into the weariness of covering long distance. While traveling itself was not new, traveling with Shahar, and Khida, was certainly new, as were the other companions who accompanied the Dawnwhispers. Although, it may have been the Dawnwhispers who accompanied them... None the less, Naiya's excitement was for the arrival in a city that she could not recall from childhood visits. It was akin to a first visit, in her mind, for this would be the first visit she could truly remember.

Thus, her excitement could only last so long among the waiving grasses of the sea. The destination was worthy of excitement, getting there was much more commonplace.

They were stopping, a midday break, lunch perhaps, would follow. She turned her eyes upwards, seeking the shape of Khida in the sky. She was circling, looking down towards their caravan. Good, she would surly join them soon.

She slowly lowered her weight backwards, more fully pressing the weight of her body to Wildfire's back, and in response his gait slowed, shortened, and eventually he halted. He would do the same in reverse should she ask it, but for now the sun was high in the sky, and her companions had halted. She swung a leg over, and slid down across Wildfire's side, landing lightly on the ground beside him. In response, the horse snorted, a sound clearly one of discontent.

She sought Shahar then, finding his form among the other travelers. She greeted him, a sign from afar, and then returned her attention to Wildfire. Something seemed to be bothering him, because discontent was not a common response. So she proceeded to look him over, running her hands over the joint of his leg, checking for heat or swelling, then down to his hoof, seeking cracks or chips, and finally the underside of his hoof, where perhaps a rock had been lodged. She repeated the process with his three other legs, finding no signs of trouble, and certainly nothing to cause him upset.

He shifted somewhat impatiently, perhaps waiting for his rider to realize that he had not tripped or limped during their travel which made it less likely that any of the places she looker were a source for his problem. She sighed, a sign of concerned wondering shaping her hands. He turned then, offering her his side that was burdened still by yvas bags. She ran her hand along his neck, and shifted the bag when she reached his shoulder, searching again for the source of his discomfort. His side was smooth, clear but for the sweat accumulated beneath the warm canvas of the yvas bag. A spot of strangely pressed hair tufted out at an angle catching her eye. A hole in the yvas bag where her archer's bracer just barely peeked out appeared to be the problem. She shifted the yvas, and removed a bundle of clothing for Khida, then moved the bracer so it laid flat rather than at an angle against his side. She must have bumped the bag, or perhaps it had just shifted in travel. All the same, it shouldn't continue to bother the strider.

She patted his neck as she moved away from him, a reassurance of her return, a comfort to them both, then moved to intercept Khida's descending form. She would join her, and present her the clothing before moving towards the gathering of people.

[Colt]

The past days of Shahar’s life had seen him walk a twisting path of changes, each one weighted with varying degrees of surprise. Some, like the journey they now made, had been planned and were entirely expected. Others, like the sudden herd of Zibri they now possessed, were complete surprises.

The one with the calf––Smala?––headed the herd, plodding comfortably alongside Drelah while her white-haired offspring trotted nervously at her hip. The two others, Irna and Kryvala, meandered behind her, occasionally tugging at grass whenever they felt the hunger to. Drelah seemed quite happy with the company, and was experienced enough as a pack horse to follow the throng of travelers without the need for directions or a lead. Smala, in turn, followed Drelah, and the rest of the zibri kept apace of the group without much fuss.

The day had blurred into a shapeless stream of traveling, one that was familiar to those of them that had spent so many years in Endrykas. The cautious steadiness of movement was one Shahar knew well, although to travel with a small group was different than traveling with the whole of the tent city. His usual wariness, then, was more acute than it usually was, although not to the point of paranoia.

He knew exactly how many people were in the caravan, and he took care to know exactly where they were as well. He knew how many animals traveled with them, he knew what lines they had fallen into, and it was by these facts that Shahar oriented himself; the zibri and pack animals were in the rear, while the Drykas rode in the front, and so Shahar had chosen a wide flanking position, where he could both see everyone else and be made aware of any threats approaching from the rear. The rear, after all, was where hunters most often struck from.

And it was indeed an array of Drykas that traveled before the animals, save for the pale child; the shining one, his speech and movements were undoubtedly of the horseclans, and as for the other… with the unexplained appearance of the palomino mare, it did not take a great deal to see that there was another plainsman among them. What had once been a curiosity towards the Aoren’s rough signs and Pavi had suddenly ceased to matter; a Strider had chosen him, and so he was Drykas.

Khida wheeled above them, and the bond between them remained easy and unclouded by worry or danger. That did not mean that there was no danger to be found on the ground, but it did a great deal to put his mind at ease. And if there was anything Khida had missed hiding in the great expanse of grass, then Tuka was beside him to scent it.

By the time the entourage slowed, the sun had reached her zenith. The post-winter coldness had faded into a whisper of what high spring would bring them, leaving the world with a comfortable mid-heat that did not burn nor weigh them down. A call had gone out for a rest, to recuperate and regather themselves before the remaining day’s travel. The frontrunners came to a halt, and Shahar coaxed Akaidras out of his lazy walk and into a trot, carving around where Irna had wandered a bit too far from the others. He yupped at heu, which was enough for her to surmise his intent and make her way back into the fold, where she and the other zibri promptly settled onto the ground contentedly and began to browse whatever grass happened to be around their heads. Kabek looked up from where he had curled up on the travois to avoid walking, decided that there was nothing requiring his attention and returned to a lethargic ball.

The child had dismounted with stunning haste and made her way to the top of the rock they had stopped next to, looking around for whatever it was children looked around for. There was an indefinite shift in intent, familiar enough for Shahar to know that it was not his, and he looked up as Khida took note of their new occupation and prepared herself to join them, although the wide circle of her path suggested she had other things to attend to first; Naiya dismounted and shot him a quick greeting, which he returned, then turned to assess her own Strider. Aoren and Caelum were likewise unhorsed, leaving Shahar to assume that the period or rest would be more than brief. With all members of the group accounted for, Shahar abandoned the outskirts and joined them.

Akaidras let out a satisfied whuff when his rider dismounted, shaking his head and canting a hoof; he, too, could see that their rest would be enough to matter, and was not particularly interested in wasting any of it with useless alertness. There was no discomfort in his posture, and he did little in response to an appreciative rub on the forehead, and so Shahar left him to his own devices.

Khida descended and returned to her human skin, and Naiya responded with the parcel of clothes designated for such an event. With Caelum and Aoren occupied with the child, Shahar assumed the position of watchman and took up a stance near the zibri; if, by any chance, a predator did decide to pursue them, it would likely be after the zibri first.

He was greeted with a cheerful bleat from Littlefoot, who trotted over in search of a treat but soon wandered off when Shahar gave her none. Tuka sat at his side with a sigh and set about to grooming herself. Keeping an ear out for the words of his companions, Shahar surveyed the endless grass with habitual caution; he didn’t see anything that was cause for concern, but the Sea of Grass was not somewhere to be lulled into a sense of security.

[Aoren]

As he accepted the waterskin, Aoren had to draw upon every reserve of discipline he had to keep himself together. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Caelum’s exasperation was probably one of the most amusing things he’d seen all day. The Ethaefal wasn’t angry, at least not at Lillian as far as he could tell. He had no doubt if in that moment he peered into the depths of Caelum’s aura he would find only the shadow of irritation. Lillian’s obliviousness to the situation only made it that much more comedic. Reaching up he touched a hand to the back of Caelum’s neck rubbing his thumb along taut muscles. Aoren could feel tension there brought on by the burden of travel. The pressure he applied was light but purposeful.

“Then we will feast as the kings of old once did, will we not? Besides, we’ve got ninety-nine bells of rest ahead of us.” He gave Caelum a wink. The chuckle in his voice was scarcely restrained. His touch was broken just as Lillian jumped from the rock and hurdled straight at him. Aoren reacted more than anything, his arms stretched out wrapping around Lillian hugging her tight. He laughed softly as she garbled her needs at him in Lilspeak. Hands brushed along the back of the little Konti’s head smoothing her travel knotted hair. He pressed a soft kiss to the little girl’s brow before propping her up on his hip.

“Worry not, Little One. We’ll get some food in that belly of yours soon.” Nodding at Caelum’s suggestion, Aoren followed his gaze to rest upon the remainder of their traveling group. They were an interesting bunch as far as Aoren could tell. Each of them had the weight of many stories on their shoulders. He didn’t need to be a Seer to see that. Khida, the curious woman foreign to the ways of the Drykas just as he but far closer to being home among them, was not an unpleasant person. The brightly haired woman beside her was a complete stranger to him. He thought he’d heard her name in passing but it escaped him at the moment. The silent man that shadowed both of them was perhaps the most curious of all.

In the short while that he’d known the three Drykas that accompanied them back to Riverfall, he had to admit he didn’t understand them at all. It drove home the fact that he was still a foreigner to the grasslands. It left him wondering. Aoren had been a drifter for a little over a year, if he was being honest, he’d felt like a drifter the whole of his life. Syliras hadn’t been unkind to him as far as actually living went. There were memories there however that still stabbed at his heart. Among the people of Endrykas, he was seen as a brother now. The companionship of Katya and the markings forever tattooed upon his body would mean he’d be welcomed by them. But it did not stop there. At least not to Aoren. There were still nuances he didn’t know about the Drykas people. There were still customs that he needed to learn. He still had much to learn. Drykas in name he might have been, but he could not yet claim to be such in his heart. Not yet. All of that aside, he was grateful for their presence. There was much to learn from them. When Khida was properly dressed having assumed her human shape, Aoren set Lillian gently on her feet with a fond pat. He hailed Khida and…Naiya? Yes, Naiya. He hailed both of them in greeting.

“See you a stream in searching the grass?” His question was directed toward any who might be able to offer up assistance. If there was one thing that Aoren had learned when traveling among group, from Syliras to Zeltiva, from Zeltiva to Riverfall, it was that people were good resources. If he did not know something, there was a good chance someone else might know what he did not. As he waited for the input of the others, a barking caught his attention. He knew that bark.

Cobalt eyes searched the tall stalks of grass that swayed in the spring wind. The bark belonged to the single most resolute companion that Aoren had, Isikai. The great hound was not prone to barking except when greatly excited or agitated. A frown touched Aoren’s brow. He nodded to both Khida and Naiya, a force of habit in being polite to women before excusing himself. With quick steps he followed Isikai’s barking, wading through the tall grass until he found the large black dog hunched, barking and growling at something in front of him. Touching Isikai on the back, the dog remained hunched but ceased barking. Kneeling, Aoren examined what was in front of him.

It was a nest. At least it appeared to be a nest. In it lay the remains of what appeared to be very large eggs. When it came to grassland creatures, Aoren was woefully ignorant. If it was enough to put Isikai on edge however, that was trouble enough. The sound of rustling grass and footsteps alerted him to the arrival of another person. He glanced up nodding. He motioned to the broken egg shells.

Curious.

“What is this?”

NoteYou're fine Khida! We'll be getting to the shenanigans soon. Very soon. Also, bold is Common, Green is Pavi.

[Khida]

oocSorry for the delay!

A glitter of motion caught Khida's eye, soon resolved into the sun-man beckoning her over. She took all of one step before less-distinct motion demanded her attention as well -- Naiya, approaching, a bundle in her hands. The Kelvic exhaled a soft huff, but waited for their wife to close the distance and offer over her burden... which was, of course, clothes. Specifically the brown robe, now hemmed to suit Khida's height, though nothing had been done for its breadth. She nodded to Naiya and slid the garment on, along with the sash to keep it closed.

That chore attended to, Khida was now free to join the not-Drykas at their conversation. The human one asked after water in the grass; her manner pensive, Khida reflected on what she had seen aloft. Yes, she gestured after a moment. "There is..." She could think of every word she might use in Common, and none of them in Pavi. The only Pavi word that came to mind was down, and it stuck; she just had to settle for it. "There is down over there, not far," the Kelvic elaborated, miming a slope off to the northeast. "One bush, two, not many. Small water."

As her description concluded, the dog started barking. Khida knew little of dog barks, and even less of this dog who now made such noise; she knew only that they were alerts, warnings. In the city, dogs might bark at anything and she could ignore it; out here, the barking snagged her attention and held it. Why did the dog bark --

Was it a danger?

Alert and wary, Khida followed after the man, scanning the grasses for the dog and whatever had set him off. For a sudden motion, for a color not the green of growing stalks... but her search found no such discrepancy. It was the man who recognized what the dog barked at, and his words which drew her attention to what looked like a ground-bird's nest, with the remnants of hatched eggs still in it.

Remnants of very large eggs, with very thick shells.

Khida could only think of one bird which might lay eggs that size.

Oh, but she did not belong on the ground here, trapped by the frailties of human feet and human skin.

He spoke words, but they were as noise to the Kelvic's ears. Khida hissed, stepped back, tugged the shoulders of her robe aside; she shifted and took to the air in a flurry of wingbeats, striving for the altitude she had worked to shed only chimes before. The falcon climbed in silence, her apprehension and alarm kept strictly on the inside of her beak; if they hadn't already disturbed the owner of the nest, she did not want to draw its attention.

Khida couldn't say for certain these were glassbeak eggs -- but she did not dare assume they weren't. Not with everything and everyone that mattered to her right here, potentially in danger. The others could explain her sudden departure to him, if he found it rude, if they had that luxury. A nest meant home territory; a nest meant this might not be a safe place to stop for lunch at all.

She needed to see, to know the grasses around them really were clear and safe --

-- or that they were not, and bring talons to bear accordingly.

Khida space Common | Pavi
other space Common | Pavi